Infrastructure & Communication
Work of the Yanomami Foundation
The absence of reliable resources—such as medical equipment, trained personnel, and effective communication systems—creates serious risks for Yanomami communities, from devastating epidemics to incursions by illegal gold miners. To address these challenges, the Yanomami Foundation collaborates with community leaders to enhance critical infrastructure, including medical clinics, schools, and communication networks. These projects are not imposed from outside but are developed in response to priorities identified by Yanomami assemblies and leaders, ensuring that investments reflect local needs, values, and long-term aspirations.
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Through partnerships with healthcare professionals, educators, and key stakeholders, we aim to expand infrastructure and improve communication systems in ways that are sustainable and culturally appropriate. Funding comes through a combination of government grants, private donations, and fundraising events. By improving health monitoring, disease surveillance, and medical response times, these projects help prevent the spread of infectious diseases while also ensuring reliable transportation for patients and medical personnel. Together, these measures save lives, strengthen resilience, and contribute to the long-term well-being of Yanomami communities.
Promoting Clean Energy
Strengthening infrastructure also requires careful consideration of environmental impacts. Clean and reliable energy is essential for supporting Yanomami programs while protecting the Amazon. For this reason, we prioritize projects that implement advanced, zero-emission technologies to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and safeguard the environment.
These initiatives do more than reduce pollution. By cutting reliance on diesel fuel and external supply chains, solar and battery systems give communities greater autonomy and energy sovereignty. This ensures that essential services—clinics, schools, and communication systems—can be maintained locally and reliably. Through collaboration with Yanomami leaders and support networks, we advance solutions that both meet immediate needs and strengthen long-term self-determination
Communication as Empowerment
Reliable communication systems are not only tools for health and safety; they are instruments of empowerment. Improved connectivity allows Yanomami leaders to coordinate across vast territories, respond rapidly to emergencies, and share information with allies beyond their homelands. Satellite systems also create opportunities for intercultural education, enabling Yanomami youth to access resources while continuing to learn from their own elders and traditions. Most importantly, communication technology amplifies Yanomami voices globally, ensuring that they can represent themselves in the defense of their lands, rights, and knowledge
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Current projects include the installation of satellite communication systems at Yanomami schools and medical clinics, the replacement of gas-powered outboard motors with fully electric models, and the deployment of solar panels with reliable off-grid battery banks. Each of these initiatives reflects a broader commitment to building infrastructure that serves immediate needs while advancing long-term health, environmental protection, and cultural resilience. The Yanomami Foundation approaches this work not as an external provider of aid but as a partner walking alongside Yanomami leaders. Together, we are building systems that save lives, protect the forest, and strengthen Yanomami self-determination for generations to come.